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My view, by Dan King

“NICE joke, Jim.”

That was Roger Federer’s reply when on-court interviewer Jim Courier asked him what he would have said if, a year ago, Courier had told him he would be on the verge of his 20th Grand Slam title 12 months later.

The success of Federer’s comeback, from six months out in 2016 with a knee injury to where he is now, IS a joke.

To be in his 30th Slam final, with 19 wins already under his belt, at the age of nearly 36 and a half, is staggering.

Although the majority of tennis fans regard him as the Greatest Of All Time (GOAT), some critics point to his losing record against both Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic and to his solitary French Open win as reasons to doubt him.

Nadal supporters say their man would be the leader in Grand Slam titles but for his injuries.

But that’s not Federer’s fault, just as he could do nothing about the blister which forced Hyeon Chung to quit during their semi-final.

The Swiss master surely deserves credit for keeping himself fit and firing all this time.

His playing style may be less tough on the body than the baseline grind of Nadal, Djokovic and Andy Murray, but he still has to find the will to keep working, keep practising, keep caring.

And greatness isn’t measured only in numbers of titles (Djokovic and Nadal have both won more Masters events than Federer).

It is precisely because Federer plays so elegantly and imaginatively that he is so admired.

The fact such style has brought him such success makes him the complete sporting package.

Add longevity, and you have not only the greatest tennis player of all time but also one of the greatest athletes ever to walk the earth.

But the South Korean couldn’t get near the defending champion and received treatment on his left foot after falling 4-1 behind in the second set.

Two games later, it was all over.

On-court interviewer Jim Courier asked Federer what he would have said to him if, before his comeback at last year’s Australian Open, he had told him he would on the brink of a 20th Slam title 12 months on.

Roger Federer and Chung Hyeon during their semi-final clash in Australia

But to win it he will have to beat an in-form Cilic, who will want to make up for that Wimbledon disappointment and produce the kind of performance which saw him beat Federer in the semi final on the way to winning the US Open title in 2014.

Federer, who revealed they had played together when they found themselves both on holiday in the Maldives in the off season, said: “We’ll see a fresh and ready Marin this time around.

“On this kind of court, you’ve got to play aggressive.

“He will bring the power. He crushed me in that US Open semi.

“I’m excited to play against him.”

Roger Federer says 2017 'worked out perfectly' ahead of 2018 Australian Open